Children's home run by Reflexion Care Group Limited in Shropshire

Inspection report children's home: SC405977 1 SC405977 Registered provider: Reflexion Care Group Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children's home

The home is registered to provide care for up to two children who display social and/or emotional difficulties and who may also have learning disabilities. The home is privately owned and forms part of a large social care organisation which offers an education service and therapeutic support.

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Information about this children's home

Due to COVID-19 (coronavirus), at the request of the Secretary of State, we suspended all routine inspections of social care providers on 17 March 2020.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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outstanding

How well children and young people are helped and protected outstanding

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outstanding

The effectiveness of leaders and managers outstanding

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outstanding

The children's home provides highly effective services that consistently exceed the standards of good. The actions of the children's home contribute to significantly improved outcomes and positive experiences for children and young people who need help, protection and care.

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outstanding

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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outstanding

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children's home: SC405977 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

14/05/2019 Full Good 11/09/2018 Full Good 25/10/2017 Full Good 07/03/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness Inspection report children's home: SC405977 3

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outstanding

Children make exceptional progress from their starting points. Children who have experienced significant childhood trauma now feel safe and reassured. They flourish and thrive due to receiving high levels of nurture and having trusting relationships with staff. A child wrote a letter to his carers thanking him for the support they have given him and for helping him to ‘mature and progress’.

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outstanding

Staff continually encourage children to try new things and to make the most of facilities and opportunities in the local community. For example, a child is coaching children in boxing to achieve the Duke of Edinburgh award. Another child has achieved qualifications in the sport of fishing. This child told the inspector that he had caught an 18lb carp with his favourite carer. Sharing activities enables children to build relationships with carers and helps them to improve their social skills. Children also grow in confidence by trying a range of social, leisure and educational activities.

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outstanding

Staff understand the importance of each child’s life story and help children to learn more about this. This improves and promotes children’s emotional health. Children also have a memory book made by staff, with photographs and comments charting their time at the home. Each child will take their memory book with them when they move on. Having a record of these positive memories helps to increase children’s self-esteem and emotional resilience.

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outstanding

Children make excellent progress from their starting points because of the support that they receive from their carers. Staff identify the physical and emotional barriers that impact on children’s learning and find creative ways to help children to overcome these barriers. For example, staff worked closely with teachers and went into lessons to support a child who was struggling to manage his complex behaviours in school. A teacher came to the home to spend extra time with the child and become a familiar and trusted adult. This bespoke support enabled the child to stay in education and to transition to secondary education. The child now attends the organisation’s school full time and has achieved 100% attendance.

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outstanding

Staff support children to attend routine health appointments and encourage them to take regular exercise. Children’s emotional health and well-being are the highest priority for staff. Staff use interactive resources with children to enable them to name their emotions and feelings and to talk about them. For example, children have learned about ‘anger-scribbling’ and use this to let out their angry feelings in a safe way and without hurting anyone. Partnership working with the home’s therapist provides excellent support for children.

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outstanding

Staff ensure that every child is consulted about their day-to-day care. This means that children develop a sense of belonging and feel safe and secure. Inspection report children's home: SC405977 4 Managers and staff work hard to make sure that the home is a warm and welcoming place for children to live. Staff help children to personalise their bedrooms, which are decorated to children’s individual tastes. Children take pride in their bedrooms, which helps to increase their self-esteem and self-worth.

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outstanding

The home has large gardens where children enjoy playing and spending time with staff. However, the patio looks tired and in need of weeding and cleaning. Garden furniture is worn and needs replacing. This detracts from the otherwise homely feel of the environment.

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outstanding

The registered manager and staff take their safeguarding responsibilities very seriously. Children experience exceptional levels of safety and stability, due to consistently implemented, personalised and child-centred risk assessments.

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outstanding

Strong relationships with staff enable children to feel safe and make good choices. For example, a child with a high risk of going missing has not gone missing since living at the home. As a result, the child is gradually gaining increased autonomy in the home and in the community.

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outstanding

Staff follow clear safeguarding procedures and children are kept safe, with the prompt referral of any safeguarding concerns to relevant professionals. Ongoing discussions and online resources ensure that children develop a clear understanding about their own personal safety. For example, children and staff watch videos together about keeping safe when at the beach and different health matters. Staff and children then work together through reflective discussions to develop strategies to help children keep safe. Because of this, children make safer choices and risks reduce in all aspects of their lives.

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outstanding

Vigilant and highly skilled staff understand the risks that children face online. They constantly talk with children about these risks and use research to educate them. This means that children learn how to be increasingly safe online.

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outstanding

Staff know children well and have an exceptional understanding of the triggers for children’s behaviour. Detailed records show that staff view the use of physical intervention as a last resort to keep children and others safe. Timely intervention, sensitive discussions and positive reinforcement support the children to manage their behaviour more appropriately.

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outstanding

Children are very settled in the home. On the rare occasion that children go missing, staff follow the procedures to ensure that they are safely returned home. Staff then talk with the child and arrange for an interview to be conducted by an independent person. This offer of an independent interview helps the staff to receive beneficial information about the child’s triggers and the reasons why the child decided to go missing from the home. Inspection report children's home: SC405977 5 Children are rewarded and praised for being tolerant and kind. Regular discussions about relationships ensure that children develop a better understanding of one another and of others.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager registered with Ofsted in August 2018 and is appropriately experienced and qualified to manage a children’s home. The manager has an excellent working knowledge of the regulatory and inspection framework. He is aware of and competently implements his monitoring responsibilities, to improve the quality of care for children. His oversight of the operation of the home is exemplary.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager knows the children exceptionally well. He spends time with them and talks proudly of the progress they have made. He listens to children’s views and is a strong advocate for them. Careful matching ensures that children’s progress and positive experiences are not compromised. Children are extremely settled in the home. One child has lived there for over two years and the other for 16 months.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Effective partnership working ensures that children receive well-coordinated care that promotes their safety and well-being. The manager shares information well with relevant people about children’s progress and any concerns. Feedback gathered from professionals during the inspection was glowing. A social worker said the manager was ‘a massive advocate’ for her child. An independent reviewing officer praised the seamless working between home and school, and described his child’s care as being ‘amazing for him’. This demonstrates the partnership working and child-focused approach that the registered manager and staff deliver through their care of children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Children are cared for by a consistent team of carers. The manager ensures that children are familiar with cover staff on the rare occasion they are used. Two staff have recently left for personal progression. The manager worked with the company clinician to ensure that this transition was sensitively managed. This included children spending additional time with carers and exchanging gifts to enable children to have positive memories of saying goodbye. One child proudly displays his gift of a football shirt on his teddy bear in his room. This thoughtful planning ensures that children feel valued and cared for.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Staff are well supported by the manager who shows he has a real vision and commitment to the professional development of the team. Staff benefit from regular team meetings and supervision. Supervision records are reflective, detailed and show that staff receive clear direction and support to progress their practice. New staff are supported through a clear, effective induction process. This ensures that children receive high-quality care. Children and staff speak highly about the support they receive from the manager. Inspection report children's home: SC405977 6

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that the home is a nurturing and supportive environment that meets the needs of their children. Outside areas should be well maintained and attractive places for children to spend time in. ('Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards', page 15, paragraph 13.9)

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children and young people, using the 'Social care common inspection framework'. This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000 to assess the effectiveness of the service, how it meets the core functions of the service as set out in legislation, and to consider how well it complies with the Children's Homes (England) Regulations 2015 and the 'Guide to the children's homes regulations including the quality standards'. Inspection report children's home: SC405977 7

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Children's home details

Registered provider: Reflexion Care Group Limited

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Children's home details

Registered provider address: Reflexion Care Group Ltd, Black Birches, Hadnall, Shrewsbury, Shropshire SY4 3DH

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Inspectors

Karen Gillingwater, Social Care Inspector Inspection report children's home: SC405977 8 to achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children's social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, further education and skills, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children's services, and inspects services for children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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